Granville Sport s College Our Mission Statement Granville Sports College is committed to: Raising standards of achievement and creating opportunities for all pupils, regardless of needs to develop their full potential and improve their life chances Raising the aspirations of the whole school community by creating a culture of continuous learning that celebrates success at all levels Developing a school that is the pride of the local area where pupils, parents, staff, governors and wider community feel valued, listened to and welcomed for the diverse contribution they make to our school life Co-ordinator: Special Educational Needs Policy Jo Kingswood (Headteacher) Start date: February 2017 Review date: February 2018 General Information The coalition government is reformed the way in which provision and support was made for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities in England. New legislation (The Children and Families Act 2014) enacted on the 13th March came into force from the 1st September 2014. A new SEND Code of Practice also accompanied this legislation. More details about the reforms and the SEND Code of Practice can be found on the Department for Education s website: www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/sen One significant change arising from the reforms was that Statements of Special Educational Needs, for those children with the most complex needs, were replaced with a new Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. These plans are supported by an Education, Health and Care Plan Pathway which can be viewed on Derbyshire s SEND Local Offer website: http://www.derbyshiresendlocaloffer.org/getting_support/education_health_care_plans/what_is_e hc_plan/default.asp
This information is also available by putting the above web address into the browser of a smart phone or tablet. The SEND Local Offer is a resource which is designed to support children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their families. It describes the services and provision that are available both to those families in Derbyshire that have an Education, Health and Care Plan and those who do not have a plan, but still experience some form of special educational need. The SEND Local Offer includes information about public services across education, health and social care, as well as those provided by the private, voluntary and community sectors. Definitions of special educational needs (SEN) taken from section 20 of the Children and Families Act 2014. A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they: a) have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or b) have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions. c) have social, mental and emotional health issues A child under compulsory school age has special educational needs if they fall within the definition at (a), (b) or (c) above or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them. Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form of language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught. Aims and Objectives We aim to provide every child with access to a broad and balanced education. This includes the National Curriculum in line with the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. Aims To provide children with high quality teaching through regular training at staff CPD sessions and through the Granville coaching programme; To have high expectations that each child will reach their potential in all aspects of school life; To develop independent learners who can transfer these skills to future life; To educate pupils with SEND, wherever possible, alongside peers in mainstream classrooms; To assess pupil data regularly and provide appropriate support where it is needed. Effective assessment and provision will be secured in partnership with parents/carers, children and external agencies.
Objectives Identify the needs of pupils with SEND as early as possible. This is most effectively done by gathering information from parents, education, health and care services and feeder schools prior to the child s entry into the school; Monitor the progress of all pupils in order to aid the identification of pupils with SEND. Continuous monitoring of those pupils with SEND by their teachers will help to ensure that they are able to reach their full potential; Make appropriate provision to overcome all barriers to learning and ensure pupils with SEND have full access to the National Curriculum. This will be co-ordinated by the SENCo; Assistant SENCo, House Leader, Assistant House Leader and Pastoral Deputy Head and it will be carefully monitored and regularly reviewed in order to ensure that individual targets are being met and all pupils needs are catered for. Work with parents to gain a better understanding of their child, and involve them in all stages of their child s education. This includes supporting them in terms of understanding SEND procedures and practices, providing regular reports on their child s progress, and providing information on the provisions for pupils within the school as a whole, and the effectiveness of the SEND policy and the school s SEND work; Work with and in support of outside agencies when the pupils needs cannot be met by the school alone; Create a school environment where pupils feel safe to voice their opinions of their own needs. This means providing regular one to one meetings between pupils and their teacher/senco and will be made easier by carefully monitoring the progress of all pupils. Pupil participation is a right. This will be reflected in decision-making but also encouraged through wider opportunities for participation in school life e.g. House Council. Responsibility for the co-ordination of SEND Provision The person responsible for overseeing the provision for children with SEND is the Head of School. The person co-ordinating the day to day provision of education for pupils with SEND is Mrs S Smith (SENCo and Assistant Head with National Award for SEND ) supported by Mrs J. Finney Email contacts: Mrs S Smith: Steph Smith (ssmith@granville.derbyshire.sch.uk) At Granville Sports College, subject teachers are supported by a strong Learning Support Team.
The following teaching positions also have particular responsibilities: Head Teacher: Mrs J Kingswood Deputy Head Teacher for Pastoral and Safeguarding: Mr R Tilley Special Education Needs Link/Monitoring Governor: Mr J. Ault & Mrs J. Finney Pupil Premium Governor: Mrs L. Ault Pupil Premium Strategic Leaders: Miss Warren Assistant SENCo: Mrs J. Finney Academic Mentors House Leaders and Assistant House Leaders Business Manager Arrangements for co-ordinating SEND Provision The SENCo will hold details of all SEND Support records such as provision maps, structured conversations and subject targets for individual pupils. All staff can access: Granville Sports College SEND Policy; A copy of the full SEND Register used for tracking this cohort; Guidance on identification in the Code of Practice (SEND Support and pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans); Information on individual pupils special educational needs, including action plans, targets set and copies of targets set; Practical advice, teaching strategies, and information about types of special educational needs and disabilities; Core meetings take place between interested parties; Information available through Derbyshire s SEND Local Offer www.derbyshiresendlocaloffer.org This information is made accessible to all staff and parents in order to aid the effective co-ordination of the school s SEN provision. In this way, every staff member will have complete and up-to-date information about all pupils with special needs and their requirements which will enable them to provide for the individual needs of all pupils. Admission Arrangements The admission arrangements for all pupils are in accordance with National Legislation, including the Equality Act 2010. This includes children with any level of SEND; those with Education, Health and Care Plans and those without.
We will never refuse to admit a pupil to school simply because s/he has special educational needs. We will always try our best to make sure, where possible, that we have put in place arrangements that a pupil needs. Primary Transfer: Parents are invited to meet the SENCo at the Year 5/6 Open Evening in September to make an initial contact. A record of the meeting is kept; The SENCo attends Annual Reviews of pupils (with a Statement of Special Educational Needs, an Education Health and Care Plan, or a pupil on SEN Support) in Year 6 and in some cases Year 5, in order to prepare for the transition to Granville Sports College; The SENCo and Assistant SENCo attend Primary School Parent Evenings Should the pupil be identified as requiring extra support they may be invited to join the school s nurture group or summer school; During the summer term the SENCo visits all Granville s feeder schools in order to gather information about pupils; Parents are then encouraged to meet the SENCo at the Year 6 Open Evening in July and at any other time should they feel necessary. Transfer from other schools: The School Leader with responsibility for admissions meets prospective pupils and parents/carers, alongside the SENCo if appropriate. SEND information is sent from the previous school in the child s school file. Parents may also be asked informally during familiarisation visits to Granville about whether their child has any additional needs. Where appropriate a graduated transfer may be put in to support the pupil into Granville in consultation with parents, before pupils are integrated into lessons they will undergo testing to determine which group the pupil will enter. Specialist SEND Provision At Granville Sports College we believe that all children who need support should receive it, regardless of a diagnosis. The members of the Learning Support Department have regular and ongoing training on additional needs. We do not limit the number of places for pupils with Special Educational Needs. We are a nonselective, inclusive school that looks to meet the needs of all learners. The numbers of pupils with SEND changes from year to year dependent on the cohort. We are committed to whole school inclusion.
Facilities for Pupils With SEND The school has a range of specialist SEND facilities in place. These include: Dyslexia Screening; Access Arrangements for internal and external examinations; Specialist software Comprehension Booster Wordshark Numbershark Memory Booster Lucid Rapid Dyslexia probability Assessment Lucid Exact- Access Arrangements Assessment Units of Sound- Dyslexia Institute multi -sensory programme ART-Access reading test Assessment LEXIA Other Provision ALK-Active Literacy KAOS Literacy Program Alphasmart typing tutor Visual stress tests Assessments Handwriting Development program Asdan Lifeskills Program-alternative curriculum The Learning Support Department is open before and after school, during break and lunch times. There is a member of staff always on duty. Allocation of Resources for Pupils With SEND Resources are allocated based upon pupil need to include: Full-time education in classes, with additional help and support by class /subject teachers through a differentiated curriculum; In-class support with adult assistance to small groups; 1 to 1 in-class support with adult assistance; Periods of withdrawal to work with a support teacher / Assistant SENCo/ Academic Mentor; Support from specialists within class or as part of a withdrawal programme; Use of ICT e.g. laptops, spell checkers and memory sticks; Bespoke curriculums including, personalised curriculum within school, and access to alternative providers including the PRU and Colleges. The Pupil Premium Strategic Leader will also work with those pupils who are also SEND
Identification of Pupils Needs See definition of Special Educational Needs at start of policy. A graduated approach: Quality First Teaching a) Any pupils who are falling significantly outside of the range of expected academic achievement in line with predicted performance indicators and grade boundaries will be monitored. b) Once a pupil has been identified as possibly having SEND they will be closely monitored by staff in order to gauge their level of learning and possible difficulties. c) The child s class teacher will take steps to provide differentiated learning opportunities that will aid the pupil s academic progression and enable the teacher to better understand the provision and teaching style that needs to be applied. d) The SENCo will be consulted as needed for support and advice and may wish to observe the pupil in class. e) Through (b) and (d) it can be determined which level of provision the child will need going forward. f) If a pupil has recently been removed from the SEND list they may also fall into this category as continued monitoring will be necessary. g) Parents will be informed fully at every stage of their child s development and the circumstances under which they are being monitored. They are encouraged to share information and knowledge with the school. h) The child is formally recorded by the school as being under observation due to concern by parent or teacher but this does not place the child on the school s SEND register. Parents are given this information. It is recorded by the school and support put in place to aid further progression and for future reference. i) Pupil progress meetings are used to monitor and assess the progress being made by the child. The frequency of these meetings is dependent on the individual child s needs and progress being made. SEN Support Where it is determined that a pupil does have SEND, parents will be formally advised of this and the decision will be added to the pupil s school register. The aim of formally identifying a pupil with SEND is to help school ensure that effective provision is put in place and so remove barriers to learning. The support provided consists of a four part process: Assess Plan Do Review
This is an on-going cycle to enable the provision to be refined and revised as the understanding of the needs of the pupil grows. This cycle enables the identification of those interventions which are the most effective in supporting the pupil to achieve good progress and outcomes. Assess This involves clearly analysing the pupil s needs using the subject teacher s assessment and experience of working with the pupil, details of previous progress and attainment, comparisons with peers and national data, as well as the views and experience of parents. The pupil s views and where relevant, advice from external support services will also be considered. Any parental concerns will be noted and compared with the school s information and assessment data on how the pupil is progressing. This analysis will require regular review to ensure that support and intervention is matched to need, that barriers to learning are clearly identified and being overcome and that the interventions being used are developing and evolving as required. Where external support staff are already involved, their work will help inform the assessment of need. Where they are not involved they may be contacted, if this is felt to be appropriate, following discussion and agreement from parents. Plan Planning will involve consultation between the teacher, SENCo and parents to agree the adjustments, interventions and support that are required; the impact on progress, development and or behaviour that is expected and a clear date for review. Parental involvement will be sought, where appropriate, to reinforce or contribute to the pupils progress. All those working with the pupil, including support staff will be informed of their individual needs, the support that is being provided, any particular teaching strategies/approaches that are being employed and the outcomes that are being sought. Do The subject teacher remains responsible for working with the child on a day-to-day basis. They will retain responsibility even where the interventions may involve group or one-to-one teaching away from the main class /subject teacher. They will work closely with teaching assistants and /or relevant specialist staff to plan and assess the impact of support and interventions and links with classroom teaching. Support with further assessment of the pupil s strengths and weaknesses, problem solving and advising of the implementation of effective support will be provided by the SENCo. Review Reviews will be undertaken in line with agreed dates. The review process will evaluate the impact and quality of the support and interventions. It will also take account of the views of the pupil and their parents. The subject teacher, in conjunction with the SENCo will revise the support and outcomes based on the pupil s progress and development making any necessary amendments going forward, in consultation with parents and the pupil. Parents will be provided with clear information about the impact of support to enable them to be involved in planning the next steps. Referral for an Education, Health and Care Plan If a child has lifelong or significant difficulties they may undergo a Statutory Assessment Process which is usually requested by the school but can be requested by a parent. This will occur where the
complexity of need or a lack of clarity around the needs of the child are such that a multi-agency approach to assessing that need, to planning provision and identifying resources, is required. The decision to make a referral for a statement will be taken at a progress review. The application for an Education, Health and Care Plans will combine information from a variety of sources including: Parents Teachers SENCo Social Care Health professionals Previous educational establishments Information will be gathered relating to the current provision provided, action points that have been taken, and the preliminary outcomes of targets set. A decision will be made by a group of people from education, health and social care about whether or the child is eligible for an EHC Plan. Parents have the right to appeal against a decision not to initiate a statutory assessment leading to an EHC Plan. Further information about EHC Plans can found via the SEND Local Offer: www.derbyshire.sendlocaloffer.org Education, Health and Care Plans [EHC Plan] a. Following Statutory Assessment, an EHC Plan will be provided by Derbyshire County Council, if it is decided that the child s needs are not being met by the support that is ordinarily available. The school and the child s parents will be involved developing and producing the plan. b. Parents have the right to appeal against the content of the EHC Plan. They may also appeal against the school named in the Plan if it differs from their preferred choice. c. Once the EHC Plan has been completed and agreed, it will be kept as part of the pupil s formal record and reviewed at least annually by staff, parents and the pupil. The annual review enables provision for the pupil to be evaluated and, where appropriate, for changes to be put in place, for example, reducing or increasing levels of support. Access to the Curriculum, Information and Associated Services Pupils with SEND will be given access to the curriculum through the specialist SEND provision provided by the school as is necessary, as far as possible, in line with the wishes of their parents and the needs of the individual. The SENCo will ensure that staff are kept fully informed of the special educational needs of any pupils in their charge including sharing progress reports and teacher feedback.
Pupils in need of SEND support will have an Individual Provision Plan to assess, plan, do, review their needs. This plan is reviewed twice yearly and closely monitored by the SENCo and the Learning Support Team. Every effort will be made to educate pupils with SEND alongside their peers in a mainstream classroom setting. Where this is not possible, the SENCo will consult with the child s parents for other flexible arrangements to be made. Annual reviews of the curriculum are held by the SENCo to determine subjects to be taught across the curriculum to ensure it meets the needs of the learners. Certain pupils may be entered onto vocational courses or work in groups with external agencies to ensure a curriculum that is personalised. Arrangements for reviewing the curriculum. Keeping staff fully informed of the special educational needs of any pupils in their charge including sharing progress reports, medical reports and teacher feedback; Providing regular training and learning opportunities for staff in all departments on the subject of SEND and SEND teaching. School staff should be up to date with teaching methods which will aid the progress of all pupils including those with SEND; Making use of all class facilities and space; Using in-class provisions and support effectively to ensure that the curriculum is differentiated where necessary; Making sure that individual or group tuition is available where it is felt that pupils would benefit from this provision; Any decision to provide group teaching outside the classroom will involve the SENCo in providing a rationale and focus on flexible teaching. Parents will be made aware of any circumstances in which changes have been made; Setting appropriate individual targets that motivate pupils to do their best, and celebrating achievements at all levels. Inclusion of Pupils With SEND The SENCo oversees the school s policy for inclusion and is responsible for ensuring that it is implemented effectively throughout the school. The school curriculum is regularly reviewed by a member of the Senior Leadership Team responsible for Curriculum development and timetabling together with the SENCo to ensure that it promotes the inclusion of all pupils. This includes learning outside the classroom. Evaluating the Success of Provision In order to make consistent continuous progress in relation to SEND provision the school encourages feedback from staff, parents and pupils throughout the year. Parents Evenings provide opportunity for parents and pupils to provide feedback to the school. Pupil progress will be monitored on a termly basis in line with the SEND Code of Practice and may be evaluated thorough one or more of the following:
Pupil data tracking. Literacy screening on entry and at the start of the year. Core meetings around vulnerable pupils with key staff Tracking through the SEND and intervention provision map There is an annual formal evaluation of the effectiveness of the school SEND provision and policy. The evaluation is carried out by the SENCo and Head Teacher/SEND governor and information is gathered from different sources such as child and parent surveys/ teacher and staff surveys/ parent s evenings/ feedback forms/ school forums. This will be collated and published by the governing body of a maintained school on an annual basis in accordance with section 69 of the Children and Families Act 2014. Evidence collected will help inform school development and improvement planning. Complaints Procedure If a parent or carer has any concerns or complaints regarding the care or welfare of their child, an appointment can be made by them to speak to the SENCo, who will be able to advise on formal procedures for complaint. Should the complaint be about the SENCo, the Head Teacher will deal with this. The Head Teacher will be informed also about all complaints. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) We aim to keep all school staff up to date with relevant training and developments in teaching practice in relation to the needs of pupils with SEND. Our school operates the following training programmes: Staff attend training and disseminate to the rest of the school. CPD sessions are held in order to develop staffs understanding of SEND teaching strategies Granville Coaching Programme The SENCo attends relevant SEND courses We recognise the need to train all our staff on SEND issues. The SENCo, with the Senior Leadership Team, ensures that training opportunities are matched to school development priorities and those identified through the use of provision management. Links to Support Services The school continues to build strong working relationships and links with external support services in order to fully support our SEND pupils and aid school inclusion. Sharing knowledge and information with our support services is key to the effective and successful SEND provision within our school. Any one of the support services may raise concerns about a pupil. This will then be brought to the attention of the SENCo, who will then inform the child s parents.
At Granville Sports College we also work with a wide range of external agencies who can give us advice, support and training. The following services will be involved as and when is necessary. The agencies we work with are: Educational Psychology Service: An Educational Psychologist regularly visits Granville Sports College to provide support. Integration Pathways (previously Behaviour Support) South Derbyshire Support Centre (Newhall PRU) Speech and language Therapy Hearing Impairment Service Visual Impairment Service CAMHS Diabetic Specialist Nurses Occupational Therapist Autism Outreach Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) Physical Impairment service We also liaise with other Secondary Schools to access their services The Bridge at John Port, SELECT at Woodville (staffed by Pingle) Alternative Provisions such as Forest Lodge/Chameleon/ Island Project support more complex needs. Managed Moves Working in Partnership with Parents Granville Sports College believes that a close working relationship with parents is vital in order to ensure a) Early and accurate identification and assessment of SEND leading to the correct intervention and provision b) Continuing social and academic progress of children with SEND c) Personal and academic targets are set and met effectively Parents are kept up to date with their child s progress through progress reports, parent s evenings and provision reviews. Regular review meetings are held for pupils on the SEND register to ensure targets are being met. In cases where more frequent regular contact with parents is necessary, this will be arranged based on the individual pupil s needs.
If an assessment or referral indicates that a pupil has additional learning needs the parents and the pupil will always be consulted with regards to future provision. Parents are invited to attend meetings with external agencies regarding their child, and are kept up to date and consulted on any points of action drawn up in regards to the provision for their child. Links With Other Schools Transition It is important that a pupil s special educational needs are identified as early as possible. We will always let parents know as soon as we identify that their child has special educational needs. On entry to the school each child s attainment will be assessed in order to ensure continuity of learning from Primary school or transfer from another Secondary school by using one or more of the following. From Primary School: Year 6 Open Evening at Granville Sports College in October where parents can meet the SENCo; Year 6 SAT results; Medical records; Primary transfer profile; Transfer information from other professionals; SENCo visits to primary schools during Year 6; SENCo and Assistant SENCo attend primary school Parents Evenings From their previous secondary school; Meeting with parents, pupil and SENCo; Contact with previous SENCo/ Head of Year/ House Leader; Reference to previous files; Reference to previous Review Meetings. In School: Information from parents; Referral by tutor or House Leader; Referral by subject teacher; Pupil referral; Peer referral; SAT data. Post 16 Education: Organising and supporting pupil visits to 6 th forms and colleges in the area; Promotion of open days and evenings; Trips to the NEC careers event;
Year 9 and 11 option and career fair; Liaising with the MAT should the pupil be identified as Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) Careers interview Connexions worker Links With Other Agencies and Voluntary Organisations Granville Sports College invites and seeks advice and support from external agencies in the identification and assessment of, and provision for, SEND. The SENCo is the designated person responsible for liaising with the following: Education Psychology Service; Social Services; Speech and Language Service; Hearing impairment Service; Autism Outreach; Language and Learning Support Service; See also section 14 Representatives from voluntary organisations and other external agencies are invited to liaison meetings throughout the year to discuss SEND provision and progress and keep staff up to date with legislation. In cases where a child is under observation or a cause for concern, focused meetings will be arranged with the appropriate agency. Parents will normally be invited to and informed about any meetings held concerning their child unless there are over-riding safeguarding issues. Signed Jo Kingswood (Head) Signed David Gaskin (Chair of Governing Board)